Things to Do in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai beaches
It is always sunny in Dubai, however, unfortunately, this does not mean that the beach season here is endless. In winter, the wind will not let you sunbathe, in summer it is so hot that there can be no talk of relaxing in the open sun. Therefore, expecting to splash in the water of the Persian Gulf, plan your vacation for October-November or April-May.
Although Dubai stretches for many kilometers along the coastline, not all of it is covered with beaches, and part of the beach area is not accessible to everyone. A little more about this important point. According to populationmonster, Dubai is one of the largest cities in United Arab Emirates.
The best parts of the coast are expectedly occupied by hotels and so-called beach clubs. Entrance to such a club is usually paid, but you get beautiful views, clean sand and water, sometimes a green area with lawns and palm trees, the absence of annoying characters, sun loungers, often drinks, ice cream, fruits and snacks, parties and performances, children’s areas, as well as access to fresh water pools. Good examples are Nasimi Beach, Joumana Club, Mina Club or Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa.
Of course, there are beach parks with a more democratic approach to prices. It will already be more crowded here, not so beautiful and comfortable, but the difference in price is tangible. Try spending time at Al Mamzar Park or Jumeirah Beach Park, open on Mondays for children and women only, and you will surely find many positives.
Take Friday and Saturday for excursions and shopping – these days the beaches are fairly filled with vacationers from among the local population and visiting hard workers.
You can not pay for a beach holiday at all. In the Dubai Marina area there is a good beach and entertainment complex The Beach at JBR with free admission, a cinema, cafes, children’s towns and a small water park. Nearby is the more famous Jumeirah Beach Residence (be careful, they ride camels here), Dubai Marina Public Beach – a beach with skyscrapers, as well as “Russian Beach” – Jumeirah Open Beach.
If you settled in the area of Deira – the old city, then it is better to plan routes to the beaches of other areas in advance. Almost the entire coast of Deira is a port, with all the ensuing consequences.
Diving in Dubai
Diving in Dubai is expensive. In addition, opinions about the conditions and quality of diving vary greatly. But you can still get your dose of adrenaline and emotions from diving while relaxing in the emirate, and inveterate divers still need it, if only for the sake of another flag on the world map, and, of course, there are interesting features.
The main complaints about diving near Dubai are the meager marine population, expelled from their usual places by the monumental construction of the miracle city and its artificial islands, rather muddy water (but this is a disaster for the entire Persian Gulf), as well as a short season (January and February are considered ideal times: relatively good visibility, pleasant weather and peak marine life). I want more lively diversity and clear water – you have to go to the coast of the Gulf of Oman. But if your vacation is tightly tied to Dubai, do not despair – there are a couple of interesting sites.
The diving program covers sunken commercial and industrial ships, pontoons and drilling platforms. Part went under water due to insurmountable circumstances, the other was flooded on purpose – to form reefs and restore the biosphere. Beginners will not be allowed to view most of the man-made spots, experience and licenses are needed, which can be obtained right there, in one of the international dive clubs. From the interesting: dry cargo ship “Yasim” with cars in the hold, the ship “Lion City”, chosen by a colony of tuna, the tanker “Zainab”, flooded during the escape from the coast guard and liked by the barracudas, as well as a barge of khamurs – stone perches. Professionals will be interested in seeing the Energy Determination supertanker with a maximum submersion of up to 80 m.
For a more detailed acquaintance with the intricacies of diving in Dubai and the UAE, it is worth buying or borrowing the Underwater Explorer book from enthusiastic friends.
By the way, to get emotions from communicating with the marine world, it is not at all necessary to dive into the Persian Gulf. Both beginners and experienced divers should pay attention to diving programs in one of the largest open-air aquariums – the Atlantis Ambassador Lagoon. The price depends on the level of complexity and intensity of the program – from 350 AED for a snorkeling trip to 2500 AED for snorkeling with predatory fish. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo offers similar entertainment.
- Where to swim with dolphins in Dubai
Shopping
Dubai is a real paradise for a shopaholic. Or hell – depends on how you look at the rapidly thinning wallet and the chronicle of embezzlement from a bank card. Even taking into account not the most pleasant exchange rate, purchases in Dubai are made with great pleasure and profit than in Moscow or even European capitals. The secret is in the VAT exemption, low import duties, the eastern boundless scope of trade, as well as impressive discounts during the sales seasons in winter or after Ramadan. An epidemic of unplanned purchases threatens even those who are in Dubai in transit for only a few hours – the impressive duty-free zone of local airports will let go of a real ascetic without new clothes.
Dubai itself is able to become for you a continuous series of shopping galleries and megamalls that flash with bright shop windows, beckon, magically save the traveler from money, handing in return packages with regular shoes, gadgets and other delights of consumer culture. The main thing is to pull yourself together in time and not let go of everything acquired by overwork during the first couple of days of vacation. In pursuit of a buyer, Dubai shopping centers are ready to surprise with unexpected solutions and forms, for example, a glass pyramid at the top, their own ski resort or a fountain show. Among the local malls, we highlight the Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall, the first one for its impressive size, the same choice of goods and a bunch of entertainment, the second one for reasonable prices and a unique “appearance”.
Feel free to ask for a discount even in boutiques. Especially if you pay in cash.
Going into the abyss of shopping, do not miss the traditional oriental bazaars – walk around the Spice Market, marveling at the colors and aromas, look at the Gold and Textile markets, and for high-quality fakes, visit the Souk-Karama market in the Al-Karama district. And don’t forget to bargain! Read more about the “Dubai paradise” for shopping here: shopping in Dubai.
